"The poet's end is the marvel" claimed Giambattista Marino, the most baroque author of seventeenth-century Italian literature, and it is probably his lesson that Diego Della Valle thinks of every time he goes on television or speaks in public. It also happened the other night at "Porta a porta" at Bruno Vespa's. Let's be clear: as an entrepreneur Della Valle is unquestionable and his Tod's is a company that is not doing very well these days but which has made it on international markets. As evidenced by the whole adventure of Silvio Berlusconi, with whom the owner of Tod's shares quite a bit of bravado, it is not said, however, that a good businessman can also be a good politician.
And indeed the political opinions of Della Valle, who originally chose as his political adviser a true giant (!) of the subject such as Clemente Mastella, often make us smile and, together with a mix of populism and provincialism, seem to aim more to amaze than to analyze the reality of things. Up until a few weeks ago, shooting zero points at Prime Minister Matteo Renzi, Della Valle had foreshadowed his direct commitment to politics and his intention - it is not known in what capacity - to bring his list of personalities to the Head of State with whom to form a new government. Now a step back, actually three. Go straight into politics? "No", thanks, he said to Bruno Vespa, even if "the most visible people must make themselves available".
As for Renzi, of whom he was a friend and supporter for the first time, only to then attack him head-on, Della Valle is now halfway there: neither hugs nor stabs: "We have - now says the Tod's owner - a shared final goal and steps of a path that is not shared”. Della Valle no longer thinks that the Government should be replaced entirely with his own list of new men but suggests "changing some ministers". On the general strike of the CGIL and UIL Della Valle instead has sweet words arguing "that if he puts the parties around a table it is positive". Of course, dialogue is a bit expensive if, to be initiated, it requires a strike every time, but these, as we know, are bizarre times.
Della Valle's only refrain that never changes and has become, to say the least, cloying is his prejudicial attack on Fiat, John Elkann and Sergio Marchionne "a gentleman who understands nothing about cars". And it doesn't matter that Marchionne ten years ago inherited a group like Fiat that was technically bankrupt and made it the seventh largest automotive group in the world. But where does this hatred of Della Valle against Fiat come from? Perhaps from the fact that in Corriere della Sera and RCS, where he has a minority stake, he doesn't touch the ball? Thinking badly, you know, makes you sin, but sometimes you take it.
